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You are here: Home / Archives for Publix

Getting Lost in the Checkout Line

February 28, 2014 by Tracy

Getting Lost in the Checkout Line
 Getting Lost in the Checkout Line

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

With rain checks, loyalty cards, sale prices, paper coupons, e-coupons, bag credits, and children, it is no wonder one gets lost in the checkout line.

Though I can navigate the coupon process at checkout, I apparently cannot remember my children.

Yes, you read that correctly. You see, we were shopping at Publix this week.

Miss 3 had been happily sitting inside the grocery cart until we reached the checkout lane. At that time, she wanted to help load the groceries onto the conveyor belt and asked to get out of the cart.

Getting Lost in the Checkout Process

In unpacking the cart, I reached in, picked her up, and let her out of the cart. At which time, she began to roam.

I was in-tune with our cashier as I dealt with the rain check, loyalty cards, paper coupons, and e-coupons. As we checked out, the employee started pushing our cart out the door. I check for Mr. 8 and Miss 6, and we went to the van.

Upon getting the van open and transferring the bags from the cart to our trunk, I realized that Miss 3 was no longer in the cart. Panic set in as I realized that I left her inside the store.

Recovering from the Checkout Process

Sending Mr. 8 to rescue her, I waited to see them both exit the store. When they emerged, a lady was with them. The customer was so nice as Miss 3 found her when she realized we were no longer at checkout.

Miss 3 went up to this customer and told her she was lost. The customer waited with her for a minute or two before Mr. 8 arrived to get her. To make sure Miss 3 got to me, the customer followed my children out of the store.

I thanked the customer and apologized as I had forgotten Miss 3 was out of the cart. The customer was glad to help, and I was so proud of Miss 3 for being brave when we got separated. I apologized to Miss 3 for leaving her and told her how proud I was that she found help immediately.

Thankfully, this is the first, and hopefully, the last time, I will exit the store without all three of my children when they are with me. Getting lost in the checkout line happens to adults as well as to children.

Had I paid more attention, I would have discovered Miss 3 was out of the cart. However, I was dealing with coupons, receipts, and rain checks, and the cart was pushed in front of me to the van.

As you save your family money and watch the savings at the register, remember your children without getting lost in the checkout line. Keep paying attention!

Question: Have you ever accidentally left a child somewhere?

Filed Under: Grocery Shopping, Food Tagged With: shopping, Publix

Customer Service: Publix

August 17, 2011 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Flickr (Otherstream)

Happy Hump Day! In our area of South Carolina, many students returned to school today. With the hustle and bustle of getting up early, eating breakfast, packing lunches, getting pictures, and arriving on time, many moms will be exhausted by 10:00 a.m. If you are feeling this way, hang in there. It will get easier!

To bring a smile to your face, I get to share a great customer service experience. Do you remember when I asked for your customer service stories? Well, a friend (let’s call her Melinda) posted her experience on Facebook, and I was floored with the customer service shown to her. After corresponding with her, Melinda has agreed to let me share her story with you.

The Situation

After a Monday morning workout, Melinda used her time wisely to stop by Publix (grocery store) on her way home. Without her 4 children in tow, she was able to gather her items and proceeded to the checkout counter. While the cashier was scanning her items, Melinda realized that she was without her wallet. (Oh, no!) Without panicking, Melinda told the cashier that she could not pay for the items, so the cashier called for her manager to void the transaction.

The Solution

When the manager arrived at the register and heard that Melinda was without her wallet, he responded, “Oh, she comes in all the time. Go ahead and finish her order. She can take it home and come back later and pay.”

WOW!

This manager understands customer service!

    • He knew that Melinda, a loyal customer, would come back to pay – which she did.
    • He knew that it would take more time to restock the items and have her come back to shop again.
    • He knew that a little kindness goes a LONG way.

The Aftereffect

Free publicity. Melinda hopped on Facebook to share Publix’s incredible customer service. Her friends commented, and the story is now posted on Using Time Wisely to continue spreading the word of Publix’s great customer service.

Trust. From this example of customer service, I know that Publix is concerned about their customers. As a shopper, Melinda was a person first and then a customer. This manager knew this mama had mouths to feed and extended kindness in her time of need. The manager trusted Melinda, and in turn, I trust Publix.

Loyalty. I love shopping at Publix!

    • Their staff is always available, helpful, and friendly.
    • Their store is clean, organized, and accurate (10 items or FEWER).
    • Their image is honest, kind, and trustworthy.

As this manager resolved a customer service situation, his act of kindness to Melinda in her time of need has increased my trust and loyalty in Publix where “shopping is a pleasure!”

Question: Do you have a great customer service story to tell? If so, contact me. I would love to share your experiences and praise the company for their customer service!

Filed Under: Communication, Customer Service, Miscellaneous Tagged With: Publix

August 8, 2011: Publix and Bi-Lo Shopping Results

August 11, 2011 by Tracy

After creating my menu from the ingredients I have on hand, I am ready to go shopping. Yes, I shop after I know what I plan to make for the week. I know that this sounds backwards, but this system really saves me money, energy, and time.

With my freezer, pantry, and refrigerator housing all the ingredients for my weekly menu plan, I am free to shop the sales at the stores. I am looking for items that are on sale at their rock bottom price, and then using any available coupons to maximize those savings.

This week, I purchased a few sale items. Here are my shopping results:

Photograph Credit: Publix

Publix

2 packages Quaker Chewy Granola Bars (on sale buy one get one free) – $1.40 each

1 Suave shampoo (22 oz.) – $2.19

1 Suave conditioner (22 oz.) – $2.19

2 Dean’s Dips (12 oz.) – $1.95 each

2 Elmer’s Glue (4 oz.) – $.33 each

Krazy Glue – $1.40

Subtotal:  $13.14

Minus the following coupons:

2 – $.55 Publix coupons for a Suave product

2 – Manufacturer coupons for a free Suave product up to $2.99 (took off $2.19 each)

2 – $1 Publix coupons for Dean’s Dip

1 – Manufacturer coupon for $1 off 2 containers of Dean’s Dip

New subtotal: $4.66

Tax: $0.39

Total: $5.05 – With the sale prices and coupons, I purchased $20.40 worth of product for $5.05 which is a savings of 75%.

By stacking coupons, which means using a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon on the same item, I was able to maximize my savings to more than the purchase price of the Suave products. Since I had 2 coupons for a free Suave item from the manufacturer, the 2 bottles of Suave where free. But, I also used the Publix store coupons (from the green advantage flyer), so the extra $1.10 of savings was taken off the end total since I had other items that were not free. I did not “make money” in cash, but I gained “overage” to save on other items purchased.

Photography Credit: Bi-Lo

Bi-Lo

2 packages Hillshire Farm sausage links (14 oz.) – $2.50 each (used buy one get one free rain check from previous week)

1 Southern Home Peanuts Fruit Snacks (6 ct.) – $1.79

2 Southern Home Cheese Sticks (11.5 oz.) – free (used rain check from a previous meal deal where these were free, but the store was out. On this visit, the cashier took the rain check, but did not ring up the two items – per his manager.)

Subtotal: 11.77 (plus the price of the cheese sticks)

Minus the following coupons:

1 – Publix coupon $1 off 2 packages of Hillshire Farm links

My Bi-Lo accepts competitor store coupons. Publix is a qualified competitor. Therefore, I used a Publix coupon and stacked it with a manufacturer coupon to maximize my savings.

2 – Manufacturer $.60 coupons for Hillshire Farm links which doubled to $1.20 off for each

My Publix doubles manufacturer coupons up to $.50, but my Bi-Lo doubles manufacturer coupons up to $.60. Since I had a rain check (savings) + store coupon (Publix) + manufacturer coupons + double the manufacturer saving, I had a great result from stacking the savings.

1 – Bi-Lo coupon for free Peanuts fruit snacks from previous customer survey (took off $1.79)

Total: $.68 (tax was $0) – I purchased a minimum of $11.77 worth of product for $.68 which is a savings of 94%.

These savings are due to a slow week of sales and cashing in rain checks and free product coupons. Now, I cannot make one meal out of this shopping trip, but I did not need to. I have plenty of food in my stockpile. By shopping the sales, I am able to stay stocked and maximize my savings.

This is not “extreme couponing” where I am purchasing tons of products I do not need and spending days working my deals. I do spend about 1-2 hours preparing for my shopping trips, but for me, the savings are worth using time wisely.

Question: Do you shop before or after making your menu plan?  

Filed Under: Grocery Shopping, Food Tagged With: Publix, grocery shopping, Bi-Lo

My Savings on Vegetables and Mentos

March 3, 2011 by Tracy

After sharing last week about Knowing your Grocery Store’s Sales Dates, I followed my usual pattern and hit the stores on Tuesday morning. In my area, our sales run from Wednesday to Tuesday, so I was shopping on the last day of the sale. The following deals are no longer available in my area, but I want to share how I scored lots of vegetables for my family without breaking the bank.

Yesterday when I went shopping, here is what I had in my PUBLIX envelope:

  • GROCERY LIST:
    • 8 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Vegetables 11-12oz. at $2.39 on sale Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF), so $1.19 each.
    • 3 Mentos at 50₵
    • 1 Huggies Diapers, 48-96ct. at $19.99
  • COUPONS:
    • 4 printable – 50₵ off 2 bags of Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Vegetables
    • 3 – 50₵ off any one Mentos products from the Smart Source insert in the 2/6/11 newspaper
    • 1 – $3.00 off Huggies diapers (Publix coupon from weekly ad)
    • 1 – $3.50 off Huggies manufacturer coupon

*NOTE ABOUT COUPONS: At Publix, you can use one store coupon and one manufacturer coupon per item. Also, Publix doubles coupons up to 50₵.

At the store with my children, I stopped by the bakery for the kids’ free cookies. (They like the treat, and I enjoy some quiet while they’re eating them.) Then I discovered that our Publix was out of Huggies diapers. Not a big deal, I made a note on my grocery list. Then to the frozen foods section where I chose 4 bags of corn, 2 bags of broccoli, and 2 bags of snow peas. Then up to the checkout lanes to find the Mentos. After procuring my items, I checked out with my coupons.

  • 4 bags of vegetables – $1.20 each
  • 4 bags of vegetables – $1.19 each
  • 3 Mentos – 50₵ each

SUBTOTAL: 11.06

  • Minus 4 – 50₵ vegetable coupons that doubled = $4.00
  • Minus 3 – 50₵ Mentos coupons that doubled = $3.00 (Yeah, I made $1.50 by purchasing these items with coupons.)

TOTAL: $4.06

After paying my $4.06, I went to customer service where I received a rain check for the Huggies diapers. So, to recap, I spent $4.06 and saved $17.39 with sales prices and coupons resulting in a savings of 81%.

There are so many deals to be had. One of the keys to saving big is knowing how to match coupons with store sales. It took me some time to distinguish a good sale from a great store sale. During the great store sale, I try to stock up and use all the coupons I have for that product. It takes time and lots of trial and error. Even in my mistakes, I always know I am saving money. I’m here to keep on saving with you!

Filed Under: Grocery Shopping, Food Tagged With: Publix, coupons, match

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